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Giemsa Stain for Microscopy

Giemsa’s staining solution (composed of methylene blue, azure and eosin) is one of the most popular microscopic stains, commonly used in hematology, histology, cytology and bacteriology for in vitro diagnostic (IVD) use. Giemsa is classified as a versatile stain primarily due to its unique formulation. Its utility is well established in hematology for blood and bone marrow specimens, bacteriology, clinical cytology specimens, histological biopsies, and tumor samples.

Below, you’ll find how to prepare Giemsa solution for various applications, Giemsa staining protocols according to sample type and application, as well as detailed quality information regarding our Giemsa formulation.

Our High-Quality, IVD-registered Giemsa Stain

Giemsa stain is one of the core products in our microscopy portfolio. As it is intended for the investigation of human material, our Giemsa’s solution is registered as an “in vitro diagnostic medical device” (IVD) and bears the CE mark. It is produced to the highest quality standards to enhance the visibility of cell structures and ensure clear results. Other advantages include excellent batch consistency, long shelf life, and detailed certificates of analysis (CoA).

Giemsa Staining Protocols

In Giemsa staining, it is important to carefully follow the instructions for the specific type of material being investigated in order to obtain reliable results with highly differentiated cell structures. The following procedures describe staining of blood and bone marrow smears, paraffin sections and clinical-cytological specimens.

Giemsa Staining of Paraffin Sections

Bone Marrow Samples

For bone marrow samples, the specimen should be decalcified in a gentle decalcifying solution, such as OSTEOSOFT®, so that immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology and enzymatic reactions can be successfully processed. It is also critical to use separate xylene or Neo-Clear® rinse baths, as any ethanol traces in the solutions may result in the preparations being discolored.

Pretreatment of Bone Marrow and Iliac Crest Biopsy Material

Place the fixed biopsy materials in OSTEOSOFT® decalcifying solution for 18-24 hours to gently remove any calcification, then transfer to histoprocessing. Carefully cut smaller blocks and, if required, treat again with OSTEOSOFT® for an additional 20 minutes.

Staining Procedure

Step

Time

Deparaffinate and rehydrate the sections using standard methods

Distilled water

10 sec.

Undiluted, filtered Giemsa's solution

15 min

0.1% acetic acid

10 sec.

Distilled water

10 sec.

2-propanol

10 sec.

2-propanol

10 sec.

2-propanol

10 sec.

Xylene or Neo-Clear®

5 min

Use Entellan® New to cover the preparations moistened with xylene, or use Neo-Mount® to cover those moistened with Neo-Clear®

Giemsa Staining of Spirochaetes

For spirochaetes (also known as spirochetes), diluted Giemsa’s solution can be used for 12- to 24-hour staining. Alternatively, staining time can be reduced to 6-8 hours by adding a small amount of potassium carbonate solution. Staining results are the same for either modification.